Well, I am entering this discussion on the late side, but here are my thoughts (for what they're worth):
I can see both sides of this situation. Like Esquiress pointed out, I do think we would all be reacting differently if this were a girl posting something about her boyfriend not helping her out. If I were in KB8's shoes, I would be annoyed too. And I would probably wonder if it was indicative of a larger trend, if my BF would flake on helping me out and then go out drinking after saying he didn't have time to help me. I think that's where some of these hurt feelings are coming from. Not that he needs someone to make his bed, but he asked for help and was brushed off.
KB8, if you're even still reading this, I do admit I'm wondering how you found this board and why you would want our opinions to come into play when deciding whether or not to propose to your girlfriend. You're the one who knows her, not us, so our opinions on this small situation shouldn't really come into consideration when thinking about something as big as marriage.
Hmmm... I was thinking about what esquiress said about us potentially responding differently if a girl posted the exact same issue. I think she's right, we would. But I don't think it's because any of us would give more legitimacy to the issue at hand (as Dizzy so eloquently put it, "the great duvet debate"). I think it's because it's the difference between the way you relate to your friends and the way you relate to others.
Meaning, if my friend came to me and said she was pissed about the duvet situation, I'd try to be there for her and be "on her side." So I'd try to look at the situation as if avoiding folding the duvet (or whatever) was a bad thing. But, in all honesty, I'd really think, god, it's a duvet cover. Who cares? But I wouldn't want to be that rude to one of my friends. I'd try to react with patience and understanding, even though in the back of my mind I'd think the whole thing was ridiculous.
Now I know that's not the most objective advice or friend I could be, but most of the time, a girlfriend just wants to bitch about her boy and hear someone agree with her. If a serious issue came up where I needed to say those thoughts that were in the back of my head, I would, but on something small and minute, I'd just try to be on her side.
So yes, I think we would react differently if it were a woman posting. But not because she was a woman, but because, on this board, women are the friends and that's the way I would react to a friend. kd8 is no friend of mine. He's a random poster seeking an opinion, so I gave him one. It might not have been the one I'd give a regular poster but that's just because I make an effort with regular posters to be as understanding and nice as I can. I don't see the need to make that effort with kd8, not that I think my response to him was rude or anything of the sort. But it was definitely different than the one I'd have given Dizzy, for instance.
Oh and can I say that I think you rock Dizzy. I don't personally have anything against kd8 but I laughed out loud when I read your response. Definitely made my afternoon.
Thanks for the info on the great duvet debate...i chuckled as well...
I really dont have much to say other than that I've read all the responses and thank you. Anyhow, we both moved past it, mended things up and it is what it was.
On another note, can I dare run some proposal ideas for the summer on this board...or is that blasphemy?
kb8 - after the responses you've gotten and obviously considered immature, and since you've "moved past" the issue, why are you still here and posting more on this topic?
and if you wanted us to "nevermind" indeed your proposal ideas, then why didn't you just select that part of it and delete before you posted your response?
seems to me that you are really enjoying the small controversy that has stirred up and you'd like to perpetuate it ...